My parents say the following:

-lots of responsibility (which honestly I do have)

-time away from the animal (which isn't long, I wake up at 6:00 a.m. every morning, leave for school at 8:40 a.m., back at lunch at 11:30 until about 12:30, and home at 3:15, meanwhile my brother is in and out all day between most of the open time periods)

I think their main reason for not letting me have a pet is because before I was born they had a dog who got hit by a car when they left on vacation and gave it to a friend to look after. But I don't think that is a valid reason for not letting me have my own dog.

I also want to point out that when my dad was young he was surrounding my animals of all types because he was adopted and really spolied. Thus I don't think its fair that they don't allow me to what the right to have a pet...